Lotus vine plant named ‘TiGo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of ( Lotus berthelotii×Lotus maculata )× Lotus maculata  plant named ‘TiGo’, characterized by its pendulous growth habit and pan-seasonal production of yellow-red flowers.

The present invention is directed to a new and distinct cultivarbotanically known as pan-seasonal (Lotus berthelotii×Lotusmaculata)×Lotus maculata relating to U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/545,234 filed Apr. 7, 2000, entitled “Pan-Seasonal Lotus Vine Plantand Methods of Breeding and Propagating the Same”, from which priorityis claimed. Application Ser. No. 09/545,234 is hereby incorporated byreference for all it discloses, as if it were set forth herein in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar botanicallyknown as (Lotus berthelotii×Lotus maculata)×Lotus maculata andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘TiGo’.

The cultivar of the accompanying photograph was developed and selectedin a controlled breeding program in Coquille, Oreg., by the inventor,Harlan Cosner, as described herein.

The plant is intended primarily to be ornamentally used in, for example,hanging baskets, in colder regions of the United States, and possibly asground cover in regions of warmer winters, with minimum temperaturesabove 25° F.

Description of the Relevant Art

‘TiGo’ is a result of a cross between a Lotus berthelotii×Lotus maculataand a Lotus maculata. The pollen parent was ‘Amazon Sunset-A’, ofpending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/545,234 filed Apr. 7, 2000,entitled “Pan-Seasonal Lotus Vine Plant and Methods of Breeding andPropagating the Same”. The seed parent was an unnamed yellow Lotusmaculata seedling.

The seed parent was of similar color, but it did not flower unless itreceived a vernalization period of at least 30 days of minimumtemperatures below 40° F. It then flowered for about 45 consecutivedays. Flowering then ceased again until it was again vernalized. Theinstant plant does not require vernalization, and flowers continuouslyas long as the minimum temperature remains below 65° F. Flowering maydecrease if the minimum temperature exceeds 65° F. Flowering may alsodecrease in possible photoperiodic reaction to winter short dull days.

The primary difference between the pollen parent and the instant plantis in flower color, the flowers of the instant plant appear yellow whenobserved at a distance of a few feet while the flowers of the pollenparent appear scarlet or red.

The instant plant was discovered as a seedling from a controlledcross-pollination made by the inventor under greenhouse conditions. Theplant was produced in a controlled breeding program at Coquille, Oreg.First asexual production was completed in Coquille, Oreg. at least asearly as Aug. 5, 1998.

Asexual propagation of the cultivar by lateral or apical stems withleaves has proven the plant to be stable in successive generations.

Color references are according to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significanceare used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A new and distinct cultivar of (Lotus berthelotii×Lotus maculata)×Lotusmaculata having a pendulous plant habit and pan-seasonal production ofyellow-red bi-color flowers, which appear yellow from a distance of afew feet. “Pan-seasonal” refers to instant plant's ability to produceflowers throughout the year in most climate zones.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1. depicts a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘TiGo’.

FIG. 2. depicts a close up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘TiGo’.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and description of the plantand flowers are based on the following environment and culturalpractices at Coquille, Oreg. The following measurements, values andcomparisons describe plants about 14 weeks from a rooted cutting or 18weeks from an unrooted cutting, as represented by the plants of FIGS. 1and 2. The plants were grown under a double layer of polyethylene filmwith a 40% shade cloth over the top of a greenhouse, with temperaturesranging from between 60° F. to 68° F. at night, and between 85° F. to100° F. during the daytime. The individual plants were grown in 10-inchhanging baskets in a soiless medium consisting of Perlite and peat moss.Plants were liquid fed with 20-10-20 plus minor elements. The cuttingtypes were lateral or apical stems. Cuttings were stuck in about thefirst week of June 2000 and finished in about late October 2000. Lightlevels were a maximum of 1,000-6,000 ft. candles, depending on cloudcover.

The plant of the present invention has not been observed in all possibleenvironmental and/or cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in environment such as temperature, lightlevel, humidity and also with cultural practices such as fertility, soiland water quality.

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance and theflower color of the cultivar of the present invention described herein.The photographs were taken of a mature plant during early inflorescence.

There may be variations between the colors in the photograph and thecolors in the following description due to, for example, lightreflectance, the amount of blue or red light captured in the film,and/or propagation stress. If such variations occur, then the writtendescription shall control.

The following description was taken of the ‘TiGo’ cultivar shown in thephotographs.

Parentage: The new cultivar was developed by standard cross-pollination.As noted above, its pollen parent was an ‘Amazon Sunset-A’, and the seedparent was an unnamed yellow Lotus maculata seedling.

Propagation:

Type of cutting.—Lateral or apical stems with leaves.

Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 12 to 14 days at 70° F. soiltemperature, and 70° F. air temperature, with radiant heat applied atthe bench top or just below the rooting medium. Winter low lightconditions may require longer time to initiate roots.

Appearance and form of mature plant:

Plant form and habit.—Plant is free branching and pendulous.

Plant size.—Stems generally protrude upwards from the base of the plant,which is generally at or near soil level, until they reach about 30 cm.in length, then they become pendulous. Stem length at first flowering isgenerally about 50 cm. Plant width is 100 cm. Both of these measurementsare a function of age, the above environmental and cultural practices,and can vary accordingly. Plants generally mature in about 14 weeks froma rooted cutting or 18 weeks from an unrooted cutting, this can varydepending on the stage of maturity of the mother plant when the cuttingsare taken.

Rooting habit.—Roots are coarse and somewhat stringy.

Branching habit.—Pendulous.

Stems.—Habit is pendulous. Internode length on mature stems is about 3cm. Lateral stems alternate along the main stem. Color does not matchany in the chart, but is closest to 139D on all surfaces when juvenile.With age, the surfaces of the stems that are the most exposed to lightbecome densely spotted with a reddish brown color making the colorappear close to 200D. The undersurfaces or shaded surfaces tend toremain close to 139D.

Foliage.—Shape is linear. Leaves usually numbering 6 or 7 appear in halfwhorls that alternate in position along the stems.

Foliage size.—Size of the largest leaves is about 1.5 cm. in length, and1 mm. in width.

Foliage color.—Adaxial surface color is 138A and the abaxial surfacecolor is 138B. There is no visible venation. Juvenile foliage adaxialsurface color is 138A and the abaxial surface color is 138B. There is novisible venation.

Foliage texture.—The foliage texture is smooth with tiny pubescence.

Petioles.—There appears not to be any petioles, or if there are any,they are too short to determine, as the leaves appear to be attacheddirectly to the stems.

Flower habit.—Outward away from stems.

Flower size shape.—Flowers are not round, but are ovular and are about0.7 cm. across the narrow direction and are about 1 cm across the widerdirection; and about 3 cm. long, and about 1 cm. deep. Each of the fusedcenter petals are about 0.8 cm. wide and 2.7 cm. deep, and the shape islinear on one side, and ovate on the other with exaggerated and curvedacuminate apex (more like a curved, tapering, acicular or filliformapex), entire margin and cuneate base. Each side petal is about 0.7 cm.wide and 2.25 cm. long, and the shape is linear on one side, and ovateon the other side, with a cuneate base and acuminate apex, and entiremargin. The center petal is about 0.5 cm. wide and 2.5 cm. long that isstrongly reflexed into a U-shape, cuneate base, strongly acuminate apex,and entire margin. These measurements refer to the larger flowers.

Flower texture.—Smooth.

Flower count.—Usually 3 or 4 flowers per axial.

Flowers borne.—Arising from leaf axils, one peduncle per node, withgenerally one to four pedicels per peduncle, each pedicel producing asingle flower. Flowers are single in type.

Natural flowering season.—Year around under greenhouse conditions,except flowering may decrease or cease during low-light periods ofwinter, indicating the plant may be somewhat photoperiodic. Novernalization is required and the plants flower continuously whenminimum temperatures are below 65° F., except possible photoperiodicresponses as stated above. The plant also flowers continuously atsustained minimum temperatures in excess of 65° F., except to a lesserextent.

Time to flower.—About 12 weeks from rooted cutting to firstinflorescence, depending on the age of the cuttings that were stuck, andother environmental conditions. Budded cuttings flowered earlier thanjuvenile cuttings.

Flower shape and color.—There are 5 petals, with the two largest petalsfused together at each side forming a hollow tube-type of single organthat is wider at the base than at the apex. The adaxial surface of eachof these petals is close to 11C at the base and the apex appears closeto 180A to 180B, but is hard to determine as the petals roll up whenseparated from each other. There are two side petals which parallel themain two fused petals, their adaxial surface is close to 12A at base,14A from about midway between base and apex to apex, and there arereddish streaks toward the apex which are very narrow, making the colorhard to determine, but which appear close to 179A to 180A. There is astrongly reflexed center petal which attaches to the calyx and coversabout half of the abaxial surface of the two side petals, the adaxialsurface color is closest to 14B on the edges that extends from a base of9D to about three-fourths of the way to the apex. There is a strip thatdoes not match any color in the chart, which is darker than 187A but notas dark as 200A that is in the center of the petal.

Abaxial surface.—The abaxial surface of the outer fused petals is closeto 31 B to 31 C at the base for about half a centimeter towards apex,then a strip up to extending to about the middle of close to 12A withtiny reddish veins too narrow to determine that extend from theremaining apical portion of the petals into the 12A portion. The apicalportion of the petal, which is about half the petal length, is colored171A. The side petals at the base are close to 37B for about half acentemeter on the side opposite the reflexed petal, the remainingportion of the petals, except the apex, are closest to 13A. There aretiny reddish streaks that are too small to determine that extend fromthe apex about a centemeter into the 13A coloring with the apex colorappearing the same as the tiny streaks, which is closest to 179A. Thereflexed center petal has about a half centemeter of a base color ofclose to 1C then there is a small strip of 179A on each outer edge.Inside that spot, on each side, is a small spot of close to 164A, thenthere is a strip of close to 163A on the outer edges (extending from thespot of 179A to about three-quarters of the petal length toward theapex) with very narrow stripes of a reddish color, which appears closeto 180A. There is a center stripe close to 166A, and the apex appearsclose to 175A.

Flower buds.—Lanceolate in shape, 1.5 cm. in length and 0.4 cm. indiameter at the base. Buds prior to opening are close to 145C at thebase, and 147C toward the apex.

Peduncles.—Length is about 1.8 cm. and diameter is about 1.5 mm. Thecolor does not match any in the chart, but appears between 145B and 145Cwith extremely tiny reddish spots, which are too small to determinecolor.

Pedicels.—About 0.8 cm. long and about 1 mm. in width. Color is closestto 145B.

Calyx.—There is one calyx measuring about 0.6 cm. wide and 1.25 cm.long. It is sheathing and crown-like in shape with five pointed lobes,each with an acute to acuminate apex. There are two which are longerthan the other three. These longer two are curved and follow thecurvature of the center reflexed petal described above. The apex of eachof the shorter three points is about 0.6 cm. long and the longer two areeach about 1 cm. long. The adaxial surface is close to 144C at the base,and close to 138B at the apex. The abaxial surface is 144B to 144C atthe base and 138B at the apex. There is very fine pubescence on bothsurfaces.

Reproductive organs.—There is one pistil, ovary is colored 145A, about1.5 cm. in length and 1 mm. in diameter. The stigma is colored close to153D, about: 0.5 mm. wide and 2.5 cm. long. The stamen is a single organat the base which sheaths the ovary, then it splits into 10 individualfilaments, each of which produces a tiny anther that appears close to153A, but exact color cannot be determined due to the tiny size of theanthers. The stamen and filaments are colored close to 150C. The pollencolor appears close to 11C. The pollen is shed before the stigma isreceptive to pollen and natural seed production has not occurred.

Disease resistance.—Plants seem to be highly resistant or even immune toINSV (Impatiens Necrotic Spotted Wilt Virus), TSWV (Tomato Spotted WiltVirus) and most other viruses, bacteria and fungi. Plants have beentested in outdoor unscreened conditions where obvious viruscontaminations were prevalent and thrip populations were high, but nooccurrences of virus contaminations were noticed despite highpopulations of thrips on the plants in close proximity to plants ofother species susceptible to such contaminations, and showing obviousvirus symptoms.

Rooting ability.—Easy, no hormones needed.

Cold/heat resistance.—Plants have flowered continuously undertemperatures where maximums exceeded 100° F., and where minimums did notfall below 65° F.

COMPARISON CHART TO PRIOR ART

The cultivar has only been compared to the parents and the comparison isindicated above.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of (Lotus berthelotii×Lotusmaculata)×Lotus maculata plant named ‘TiGo’, as illustrated anddescribed herein.